Advertise on podcast: Slothfulness on SermonAudio

Harvest Supper Service Title: Lessons From The Slothful Farmer Speaker: Rev. Colin Mercer Singer: Miss Faith Haffey Proverbs 24:21-34

The sermon explores the biblical mandate for believers to combine patience with active diligence, using the example of Abraham to illustrate how faith endures until promises are fulfilled. It emphasizes that God remembers the 'labors of love' shown to other saints, encouraging Christians to maintain a full assurance of hope while avoiding slothfulness. The message clarifies that true faith is evidenced by perseverance to the end, distinguishing genuine salvation from temporary belief. By referencing the 'cloud of witnesses' in Hebrews 11, the text urges believers to lay aside the weight of unbelief and run the race of life with patience. Ultimately, the sermon points to Jesus as the author and finisher of faith, who enables believers to look unto Him for the strength to endure and inherit God's promises.

Matthew 25:6 "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." This sermon examines the state of the visible kingdom of God at the time of Christ's second coming, drawing primarily from the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. The message highlights that the Bridegroom will find a mixture of sleeping saints and slothful sinners, emphasising the spiritual lethargy and compromise often present in the modern church. It asserts that upon His return, Christ will immediately execute a definitive separation between true believers, who possess the oil of the Holy Spirit, and those with empty professions, a judgment carried out by angels under His direct command. The sermon concludes with the joyous prospect of the marriage supper of the Lamb, where the redeemed will celebrate their eternal union with Christ and their final victory over all enemies.

"Those who have tried to reach Mohammedans with the gospel message and who are in the midst of the work, do not call for retreat, but for reinforcements and advance. They know that in this mighty conflict we have nothing to fear save our own sloth and inactivity." Samuel Zwemer's words echo Paul's own declaration in 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, "having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart." Whether by rejection or affliction, the mission has countless reasons for discouragement. And discouragement can lead to compromise. But we advance, determined to change neither message nor method.

This sermon examines the destructive consequences of sloth and the necessity of diligent stewardship through the lens of Proverbs 24:30-34. The text portrays the ruined vineyard of the lazy man and records the observations of the wise man, highlighting how neglect leads to spiritual and practical ruin. The preacher emphasises that wisdom requires active contemplation and meditation on God's Word to recognise and apply divine lessons in daily life. By illustrating the metaphor of the vineyard and wall, the message connects physical labor to the spiritual maintenance of family and personal devotion. The sermon concludes with a call to confess neglect, seek forgiveness in Christ, and pursue the grace needed to cultivate the goods God has provided.

This sermon explores the theological concept of the Judgment Seat of Christ, emphasizing that it is a time of reward rather than punishment for believers. The central message focuses on the five biblical crowns available to faithful Christians, including the incorruptible, rejoicing, righteousness, glory, and life crowns. The preacher argues that these rewards are earned through consistent spiritual discipline, faithful service, and enduring trials, rather than through passive belief or slothfulness. By examining passages such as the Parable of the Talents and Paul's letters, the message highlights that the ultimate motivation for Christian labor is the desire for the Master's approval and the glory of Christ. The tone is instructional and encouraging, urging the congregation to view their daily faithfulness as an investment in eternal rewards that will ultimately be laid at Jesus' feet.

The sermon explores the tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility through an exposition of Joshua chapters 18 and 19. Organized under three headings, Gathered Before the Lord, Sent Before the Lord, and Settled Before the Lord, Pastor David demonstrates from the text that God's prior victory over the land does not eliminate Israel's duty to actively possess their inheritance, but rather establishes it as a necessary act of obedient faith. The preacher connects this Old Testament narrative to the New Testament Great Commission, warning against passive hyper-Calvinism while emphasizing that believers must use appointed means to fulfill Christ's commands. The message concludes by encouraging believers to find contentment in God's providential rule and to persevere in mission, trusting in the presence of the risen King who has secured their ultimate spiritual inheritance.

The sermon examines James 1:26-27 to distinguish between vain, outward religiosity and pure, undefiled faith. It argues that claiming religious devotion while failing to control one's speech reveals a deceptive heart condition lacking true self-control. The speaker emphasizes that genuine piety requires the Holy Spirit's power to mortify fleshly sins and maintain internal purity. True religion is defined not by external rituals but by sacrificial love for the vulnerable and personal holiness against worldly corruption. Believers are urged to actively fight spiritual slothfulness rather than settling for superficial adherence to God's word.

Bonar leads the men of his day, and ours, to see their need for improvement in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

This sermon reflects on a recent children's mission centered on the story of Noah and the flood, using animal illustrations to teach spiritual truths about sin, judgment, and salvation. The speaker employs objects such as a mouse, leopard, sloth, fox, lion, and coney to demonstrate the universality of sin, the suddenness of judgment, the danger of spiritual sloth, and the need for refuge in Christ. Emphasizing that only the blood of Jesus can cleanse sin and provide safety, the message calls both children and adults to repentance and faith. The narrative connects the historical account of Noah's obedience with the present necessity of entering the ark of salvation through trust in the finished work of Christ. Ultimately, the sermon urges listeners to heed the gospel warning and secure their eternal destiny by coming to Jesus.

"I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down." - Proverbs 24:30-31 (ESV)